My new address!

My family, friends, and I guess strangers if you happen upon this and decide to write...here is my new address. I will be unable to communicate via the internet for the first three months or possibly longer. It's up to snail mail now!!! Please, number your letters as they may not show up in order - cool huh :) Love and peace!

Caroline Drake, PCV
Peace Corps/Malawi
BOX 208
Lilongwe
Malawi

The Resurrection

I'm resurrecting that which should have never ceased. It seems I'm in a 5-6 month cycle of sharing and reflecting on my beloved blogger. Well, I am here to say this will all change...less because I desire so, more because I need to do so.

In 14 days I begin my two year adventure overseas in Malawi, Africa. Contrary to popular belief, Sprint does not service the area so no more cell phone as of May 23rd (dream come true)! SOO blogger, caroline.a.drake@gmail.com, and snail mail (please number your letters) will be my modes of communication. I am unaware of how accessible the internet will be to me so this may be updated frequently to rarely. Either way this will be the most efficient method of communicating with my family and friends state side. That being said, please keep in touch because the life we are living is brilliant and I want to know and share all that we will encounter in the next couple of years. Sorry this was such a bland post...you simply need to know.

PS Anyone is welcome to visit :) I'll have lodging.

Drum turtle and coffee

East hall...I couldn't quite call it a drum circle and we had decided it was much more then a rectangle. They made a cluster yes, with pecans and chocolate and caramel...they were the drum turtle. They were delicious. We stayed until the cop "jumped" the call that the drums from East Hall were too loud. And we laughed as the cop admired the rythm while he enjoyed his cigarette. It was simple.

Scratching the surface

Each night as I go to sleep reruns of last week play through my head. I see the houses. I see the devastation. I see the hardships. I hear again the stories of the residents. Mostly, I see the eyes. So many different people. So many different reasons for being there all caused by one storm. And though that all sounds really depressing and though it may be easy to just be sad...I go to bed smiling. The environment surrounding us told a story of destruction but the energy and the people sang to us their resiliency, their hope, and the joy of having each other. There was no money. There was hardly enough shelter. There was love and of course there was food.


Left: the camp of the organization Common Ground in the lower 9th ward

Right: Jacob with some long-term volunteers

Made with Love Cafe is in the heart of St. Bernard Parish in Louisiana. Serving the parish and the people of the lower 9th ward, Made with Love provided breakfast, lunch, and dinner to volunteers of many organizations, their own volunteers, and most importantly the residents. The total meals served per day averaged anywhere between 1,200 to 2,000 meals. Made with Love Cafe is a project of the newly established Emergency Communities. Currently, they are opening another project right on the gulf to a community that was more devastated and has received less assistance. Emergency Communities (EC) is a grassroots organization receiving funding and donations mostly from individual donors. EC always needs volunteers, donations, and advocates in other cities fundraising for them. The community I was involved with was one of the most incredible communities I have encountered in my short existence and limited experience.


Left: Chance is all about the peace and love.

Right: A destroyed strip mall.

Talking to a fellow volunteer and now friend, he expressed yesterday to me how much he missed "village life" and it was just that. This village of people were always working and always assessing the needs of the community, the residents, and each other. EC came alive at 5:30am and was buzzing early into the next morning. Long-term volunteers set the pace and the direction of little and large projects. The week we were there we cooked, cleaned the kitchen, monitored and emptied trash cans, wiped tables, renovated the dish pit, cleaned dishes, prepared meat, counted inventory, folded and organized clothes, served food, gutted houses, maintained the back 40 which was a small tent city, cleaned community areas like the rejuvenation station (first aid) the two ti-pi's where people did yoga and had intellectually and spiritually charging discussions stories or chants. EVERYTHING was happening and you were expected, no matter how long or short the stay, to jump in and organize and make decisions. This was your home from the beginning until the end. There was time of course to have a nap. There were nights to explore the city. There were fires to let go completely and enjoy the spirit of humanity. Meal preparation really never stopped. It was a near 24 hour operation coordinating and preparing meals for some many people but it worked and hardly did we feel short handed. And that is just a description of village life. For now enjoy the pics. Ask questions and research yourself. More to come on the people I have met.


Left: Last meal with our full group of temp volunteers. Mmmm food.
Center: Destroyed house in lower 9th ward.
Right: Aaron plays chess with young resident while Carrie (in pic) and Jacob (behind lens) snap photos! YEY!


There is so much to be seen in the contrasts of joy and destruction.


Left: Takin a break while waiting for a "safety" meeting we hang around in the tree house. I wouldn't consider it safe.
Center: The dish pit before renovations that took place later in the week.
Right: Destroyed residential corner in lower 9th ward.

No, it's "Nah-lens"

I cannot yet determine what effect this experience will have on me overall. The peace and the love and the power that this community creates, the residents, the volunteers, the effort - this all encompassing place has been home to me quicker than any other place in the world. An on-going reflection of my spirit and my habits and my life has harbored feelings of pride and excitement, anticipation and empowerment.

Pictures to come!